🧐 "Young, Restless, & Reformed" Movement • Alistair Begg and Parkside Church

By viewer requests, I've had a number of people asking to visit a Reformed church:
For Week 20, drove to the suburb of Cleveland to Parkside Church, home church of renowned Reformed pastor, Alistair Begg. At the end of the first 52in52, found myself attracted to the Reformed movement. Tim Keller was instrumental for me, and I'd later would sample teachings from R.C. Sproul, John Piper, and Paul Washer. While the preaching and theology all lined up for me, when I went online to learn more about Reformed theology, the people and forums were verbal bloodbaths. Insults, arrogance, and people trying to "out-Bible-smart" the other in theological debates. No grace. No love of thy neighbor.
Despite the online carnage, I recalled hearing a few teachings from Alistair Begg. He wasn't trying to win theological arguments, he was preaching with truth and spirit behind his lingering Scottish accent. Many of the Reformed preachers from 2014-'15 aren't in the pulpits nowadays, but Begg still preaches often from his mega(ish)church. Some thoughts:
1) You could tell driving in, the church had resources at their disposal. Parkside Church was huge, neighbored next to a golf course with a second golf course a few miles south.
2) Majority of men wore golf polo shirts, though many wore their Sunday's best. Most women had something on nice, many in floral dresses.
3) Auditorium was quite large and filled up for the first of two services.
4) Appreciated from the onset, worship team mentioned they wanted to worship "in truth and in spirit," a nod to John 4:24.
5) Alistair Begg came out after a few worship songs. Class-act type of preacher. His talk started with announcements of church members who needed prayer. For such a largely-attended church, was impressed how a sense of community still existed here.
6) LOTS of programs to get people connected. After services, walked by several rooms with niche ministries. One was called Widow Connection.
7) Checked out their in-church bookstore. They had sections devoted to Reformed figures like C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, and Alistair Begg himself.
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[@52churchesin52weeks]

Thanks for watching and hope you enjoyed this peak into Parkside Church. LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to stay tuned for future visits. You can also check-out the first "52 Churches in 52 Weeks" on Amazon at 📚 amzn.to/3DKry4q

[@timochka009]

I'm a member at Parkside Church, and I'll give one more piece of insight that you won't get from a quick Sunday visit. Parkside is a church for those who need spiritual and emotional healing. The vast majority of people that I know at Parkside have come to this church because of desperation and brokenness. They have found wise counsel, competent support, solid teaching, and have been able to heal out of their brokenness.

[@52churchesin52weeks]

Hey Tim, thanks for the comment! It's refreshing to hear how Parkside has been there for the broken in spirit. With Alistair Begg giving the announcements of the various programs and ministries promoted and available, it gave weight that these mattered to draw closer to Christ. When I walked around and saw a Widows Connection gathering upstairs, I heard laughs, I heard talking, I heard connection despite the loss of a spouse. Even though this was a relatively short visit, I got that vibe as a newcomer.

[@RestfullyRenewed]

Praise God.

[@emmanuelmartey863]

I have never heard of this pastor. But, I will look up his teachings. So many churches have been compromised. It is good to be personal with people. They know that they are seen and loved. 🕊️

[@SharoneeAdetola]

I love how he is bringing personal connection into the church by praying for members by their names.

[@LoriLev1107]

Love Alistair Begg. He always brings the message back to the plain things. The plain things are the main things! Such a treasure!

[@Tulip2799]

Alistair Begg❤ Love listening to his sermons.. Now have come to an understanding of my need of a Savior (Jesus Christ).So impressed looking at their book store. Thank you for sharing. 👍

[@RestfullyRenewed]

All those names you mentioned (also Paul Washer( are my kinda preachers. Of course us Scottidh folk have to stick together 😉

[@kitchentools6880]

This is the first time I heard the Parkside church

[@HopeandFutureDevotions]

Alistair Begg is one of the teachers I do listen to. Glad you got to visit the church where he serves.☺️

[@tracyensleyharp]

Kind of jealous - I’d love to visit this church! Sounds like they are doing a lot of things right!

[@harisa-esquiredtoread7367]

I'm in the CLE area and heard many good things about this church. I visited a satellite church closer to the west side and we enjoyed it.

[@Emk315]

I have no idea what reform, Calvinism, and all that is and non of that is my concern. I am interested in the Bible being taught and that drew me to parkside church where the Bible is taught. I am a listener of truth for life and at the time I needed it most, God used his messages.

[@kitchentools6880]

I love the team of worship that worship in Spirit and Truth, hope they make it.

[@elizabethMo]

When a Church has different ministry teams to meet needs is always a lovely thing . Quite impressive

[@socialmatterstv829]

Thank God we still have some church that worship in truth and spirit. Very nice, thanks for sharing.

[@minmattmills]

Never heard much about the reformed church but I was def interested when you discussed the violin in worship and I think it is cool how he started early with that type of prayer.

[@MattAshleyMorris]

Love that the worship team wants to make sure they worship in spirit and in truth 🙌

[@KimOmana]

What a great impact to begin prior to preaching by praying for members by name, love the fostering community and personalization including in the call to action.

[@edhartze]

Wow we can learn a lot from Parkside Church. They on the right track

[@davidstout6051]

Parkside’s worship is not what most people would think of as contemporary. Their music is largely a mix of hymns (classical and contemporary) accompanied with an ensemble that uses piano, stringed instruments, light percussion, bass, and guitar. It has little of the rock ‘n roll that characterizes contemporary worship. I personally find it quite refreshing.

[@tcofbthecommunityoffirstbo6950]

Thank You Very Much For Talking About This. There is need for constant evangelism and also a follow up on those new to the faith.

[@ReMEMchannel]

It a whole of new experience, great to learn new things on this channel.

[@monus782]

I had to read one of Keller’s books when I was in Catholic high school and I honestly don’t remember much about it except some talk about social justice, recently I came across one of Alistair’s sermons on the radio and decided to listen out of curiosity and he was ranting about the Weather Channel so that didn’t really impress me (but again I’m an unrepentant evolutionist so I guess I wouldn’t be welcome in most of these congregations, maybe there was some context I was missing from that) but I’m glad to hear you had a good experience.

[@RestfullyRenewed]

Had to come back to my favourite video again

[@michaelcanlon5583]

Well done brother! Beautifully balanced analysis of the church as well as reformed theology. I had the the opportunity to see Alistair Begg preach here in Florida several years ago. His message is so consistently biblical. He never focuses on the minutiae of modern "Christianity". It's ALWAYS about the Gospel. Keep up the great work!

[@oatmealmonkey9130]

I've been enjoying your videos. There's an opportunity coming up that may or may not work as a video, but might still be a fun experience. This weekend is the general conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Obviously you could just sit in your house and watch it by yourself, but there's a whole cultural element to conference weekend that you'd miss. The best way to experience that is if you have a friend that grew up with those traditions that you could ask to go watch conference with (a task that sounds super fun for an introvert), but also this is how we do it with our two young kids: -stay in your pajamas -Make cinnamon rolls for breakfast (you can buy them if you don't like to bake). I've heard orange rolls are becoming popular conference breakfasts too. -print out "conference squares" which is basically bingo squares with topics likely to come up in the talks, and can be found online. -have Legos available. My husband's family growing up built temples, but also whatever they felt like. -play it on the tv so you can sit on the couch or floor or wherever you're most comfortable. -take notes. Not like you have a quiz coming up and have to capture all the information, but just what stands out to you, or what thoughts come to you, or those calls to action that made the sermon in this video so good. -be ready to google the congregational hymns because they don't display the words on the screen anymore. -let the sort of cheesy ads about family that play in between sessions go on in the background. I have several of them memorized because I've heard them over and over. Saturday and Sunday at 10 and 2 mountain time, and saturday at 6 mountain time. It streams on KZbin, just search for general conference October 2022.

[@52churchesin52weeks]

Thanks for the invite. I did take a little time over the weekend to check-in. The choir is amazing!

[@marisamarino7596]

I went to a reformed Presbyterian seminary. I received a wonderful education. It was heavy on theology... but not power. I am grateful for my education, but have a more charismatic belief system. I love the hunger I see in charismatic services. It is interesting that a number of reformed pastors I follow now call themselves Bapticostal. This is largely because they cannot deny the power of God to heal and work miracles. Also, a number of them have now been baptized in the Holy Spirit, were given a prayer language- tongues, and cannot get past the multiple baptisms of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. The book of Acts will blow up reformed theology. A great asset of people in the reformed seminary was their stability. They were like strong trees... rarely buffeted. However, it was often a comfortable faith walk... lots of meeting together but an over emphasis on God's sovereignty in the absence of the need to exercise faith for healings and miracles. I am not sure I ever heard anything about the authority we have as believers. With that said, God definitely sent me to the seminary for my own protection during a time He was calling me out of a sinful lifestyle. It was EXACTLY where I needed to be at that time, It is fascinating how He uses everything for our good and His glory.

[@tedprice5828]

There is very little about healings in the Book of Acts, nor casting out of demons. Languages was in association with three Pentecost’s, Jude’s, Samaria and the utter most parts of the earth ie the Gentiles or Nations.

[@luigidibenedetto338]

You are invited to our inaugural The Church of Recycled Sinners ..... Where God is in the recycling business of old hearts into new hearts.

[@52churchesin52weeks]

That's a fantastic name. Where is the church located, I'd be glad to if it's within distance.

[@luigidibenedetto338]

@@52churchesin52weeks Plus we would like you to have speak at church n an all-faiths crusade

[@micahisanerd]

After this 52 week project maybe your next book should be a guide to your ideal church and take the best from each church and create your hypothetical "ideal" church. This one sounds pretty impressive with regards to the pastor and community.

[@rafbgarcia]

Sinclair Ferguson!!

[@PrayingForMiraclesWithCarol]

Very interesting what you said because I have felt the same from my experience there which was most uncomfortable. But that was years ago......

[@dalicaminade3677]

Why was your experience uncomfortable?

[@PrayingForMiraclesWithCarol]

@@dalicaminade3677 Because of the legalism

[@dalicaminade3677]

@@PrayingForMiraclesWithCarol The word of God as passed by Jesus and heralded by apostle Paul is all that this teacher echoes in all his teachings. Legalism is not of it. They all speak to the being of each man who would be in that congregation, listeners too - the SWORD is indeed doule-edged - they cut to our deepest marrow exposing ourselves before the holiness of a sovereign God and our deepest need to turn to THE CURE. Hard be it to acknowledged but we must. You may consider more listening of Truth For Life sermons especially of 2022 - they are eye and heart openers - always begins in Jesus Christ and ends in Jesus Christ.

[@PrayingForMiraclesWithCarol]

@@dalicaminade3677 I am fully aware that legalism has no part in Paul's teaching. That was not the question here.

[@PrayingForMiraclesWithCarol]

@@dalicaminade3677 Old covenant teaching.

[@marisamarino7596]

Also in regards to the counseling ministry... and the divorce rate... As a trained counselor I have come to the conclusion that if both people will put God first in their lives.. truly put Him first and not have idols.. then their marriage will go much better. Seek first His Kingdom :).

[@kendrabrown655]

I have a suggestion you should check out a black pentecostal

[@tracyensleyharp]

One correction in your description: c.s. Lewis was NOT reformed.

[@52churchesin52weeks]

Thanks for the clarification. They conveniently put C.S. Lewis's section next to the Spurgeon and Puritan section, so in my head was lumping him in that reformed category.

[@wjtruax]

Yes, Parkside is next to a public golf course, but the church is in a different county than the golf course. The golf course is in Solon, which is in Cuyahoga County, the county in which Cleveland is, whereas the church is technically in Bainbridge, which is in Geauga County, a much more rural county, in which property values - especially when the church was built in the late 80s - are significantly lower. When the church was built, it was basically in the middle of nowhere. Similarly, the golf course, which was built long before the church, was in the far south-east corner of the county, in the middle of nowhere when it was built.

[@jennm7012]

I don't understand Christianity at all. So confusing 😕 😐 what's the difference between catholic, protestant and the rest? I do enjoy these, but I get so confused. Oh, have you gone to a Quaker or Friends church ⛪?

[@52churchesin52weeks]

Hey Jenn, good to hear from you. It would be too long to explain the differences here haha, but hope these videos can shed a little light from a newcomer perspective. I did visit a Quaker meetinghouse the first time doing 52in52. Was thinking about doing that again (even though Quaker meetinghouses aren't technically a "church"). It's interesting to be at one of those since everyone in attendance prays in silence for about an hour. I still remember, one man I spoke with said that's where he felt he could commune with God.

[@simonstuhl4170]

You said it, “Allister is this churches Pastor”. That is the problem, strong delusion that looks, sounds and feels right. But, it is based on a false foundation of Christian reformed theology tradition. Not the WORD OF GOD.

[@dalicaminade3677]

Are you sure about "it is NOT THE WORD OF GOD" that he and this church is teaching or preaching."

[@simonstuhl4170]

@@dalicaminade3677 just like Israel claimed the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, had the temple, had the Torah and did not receive the LORD, the Protestant Reformed Church does the same thing. Only in the name of Jesus. But, they believe and teach that the Creator established this country with a constitution that is in opposition to what the Word of God says. We can’t have it both ways, not the same Jesus.